Beilue: Help awaits as Blankenship sticks around

Jared Blankenship took a phone call last week while on his tractor planting sunflowers.

"I bet I'm the only presidential candidate doing that," he said.

It's been three months since the Adrian farmer, as serious as a final exam, announced he was running for the United States presidency. Not only is he still in the game, but "all of this is being ramped up exponentially," he said.

Blankenship, 40, has joined with a conservative political consulting group that promises him more visibility, more resources, and, most importantly, more money.

Tim Kenworthy has a residence in Canyon and business in Colorado. He's been a political consultant and managed campaigns for 25 years. After he saw Blakenship's website and the two talked at length, he has decided to head up Blankenship's campaign.

"I have been in this game a long long timeand Jared Blankenship is a true breath of fresh air," Kenworthy said. "We've had some conversations about the realities of this campaign, and he's not backed away from it one bit. That says a lot about the man. I tell you, every day I'm around him, I get more and more excited."

Until a week or so ago, Blankenship's campaign staff consisted of three. The conservative Republican had a website, social media and the hunger to speak to local groups and press the flesh.

The lifeblood of a political campaign - even if it's just to make a reasoned symbolic statement in the Iowa caucus or the New Hampshire primary in February 2012 - are the finances and organization to be heard and compete in the early going.

"We knew this was a speculative venture to some degree," Blankenship said. "But we stuck our neck out hoping something would happen, that we would get some attention, get a break, and that's what's happened."

Kenworthy said his group and financial backers can provide organization, fundraising and contacts. A team will soon be in Iowa to begin putting a hands-on campaign in place.

"We look for people who are different," Kenworthy said, "and everything that some will look at Jared and say is a negative, we look at as a positive."

Blankenship's wife, Sheri, is assistant superintendent at Hereford. They have two children. Blankenship, a former teacher and graduate of Abilene Christian University, may be one of the most reasonable men with one of the most wildest ideas ever - to run for the Republican nomination for President.

He has no political experience. He's just weary of the Washington gridlock and says he can bring common-sense solutions to federal problems. He said he has a core group of volunteers in five states who have jumped on board, primarily through social media.

"It's not been by the conventional means, but this organization allows us to change that," he said. "All the rules that are written about political campaigns that have to be done, should be done, still have some credence, but in our changing world, we're finding there can and will be exceptions. Our hope is to be one of those exceptions."

Blankenship has heard the cynicism, skepticism and even, he says, the mockery about what he's doing. And he will hear more.

"But I knew that would exist from day one," he said.

But he's also been heartened by encouragement, the changing of some minds and the agreement with his conservative stances.

"If I were worried about guaranteed results, I would have quit farming a long time ago," he said. "Certain things you do because it's the right thing to do regardless if it's an uphill battle, or viewed as unlikely or foolhardy by some."

Where this Walter Mittyesque pursuit ends, he doesn't know.

"The possibilities exist today that did not even two to three weeks ago," said Blankenship.

As for Kenworthy and his conservative group's involvement, "We think it may be time to introduce a new type of candidate," he said. "Jared Blankenship might be the start of that revolution. We'll have to wait and see."

Jon Mark Beilue's column appears three times weekly. He can be reached at jon.beilue@amarillo.com or 806-345-3318. His blog appears on amarillo.com.

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